The Federal Government has assured Nigerians residing in South Africa that every citizen who has indicated a desire to return home amid ongoing anti-migrant violence will be evacuated before the June 30 deadline. The assurance was given by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, in a statement released on Thursday by her Special Assistant on Communication and New Media, Magnus Eze.
According to the minister, the administration of President Bola Tinubu remains committed to safeguarding the welfare and security of Nigerians living abroad. She stressed that no Nigerian who has registered for voluntary evacuation from South Africa would be left behind.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu disclosed that the repatriation process is already in progress, noting that the first batch of 258 Nigerians was successfully airlifted from South Africa and received at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on June 11 by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye.
She revealed that approximately 1,000 Nigerians had enrolled for the evacuation exercise, with arrangements being finalised to return the remaining citizens before the stipulated deadline. This means that more than 742 Nigerians are expected to be brought back to the country in subsequent phases.
The minister explained that President Tinubu had directed authorities to provide immediate assistance to Nigerians facing threats and intimidation in South Africa who had chosen to return voluntarily.
Expressing concern over reports of attacks and discriminatory treatment targeting Nigerians and other African migrants, she said Nigeria was engaging South African authorities through diplomatic channels while considering legal avenues to address the situation.
"When it comes to situations like this, of course, it is necessary to be temperate and exercise caution. But when your citizens are being harassed… then it becomes a serious concern," she said, noting that some of the affected Nigerians are married to South Africans and have children who were born and raised in the country.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu also questioned what she described as the unequal treatment of Nigerians, pointing to the extensive operations of South African businesses in Nigeria, including MTN, MultiChoice, Stanbic and Protea Hotels.
She further argued that the activities of anti-migrant vigilante groups were damaging South Africa’s international reputation and weakening its image as a post-apartheid champion of pan-African solidarity.
The minister disclosed that South African authorities had declined to activate an Early Warning Mechanism Memorandum of Understanding signed with Nigeria in October 2025. The agreement was designed to protect citizens during periods of tension, but South Africa reportedly cited procedural concerns for its non-implementation.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu added that several African countries, including Ghana, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Mozambique, had already begun evacuating their nationals from South Africa due to the worsening security situation.
The latest development follows the arrival in Lagos earlier this month of at least 270 Nigerians, who constituted the first group of returnees fleeing recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
